Cushioned valve and seat



June 4, 1957 J. D. LANGDON 2,794,614

cusmonso VALVE mo SEAT Filed Sept. 1, 1954 INVENTOR CUSHIONED VALVE AND SEAT Jesse D. Langdon, Long Beach, Calif. Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,615 4 Claims. (Cl. 251-52) The present invention is an improvement of Pat. 2,255,322, September 9, 1941, and relates to fluid control valves having a special form of pressure actuated valve seating means.

The primary purpose of the invention is to devise a fundamentally simple valve mechanism provided with pressure sealed valve seating means comprising a valve member of rigid material having a ring of rubber-like material encircling the peripheral edge of said valve member and forming a flexible annular seat subject to flu1d pressure efiects to compress and deform the material to conform with the contour of the valve member and squeeze the material toward any opening between the valve and its seat and seal any crevice existing between the valve member and its seat when the valve is closed.

Another object is to provide a maximum waterway between a valve member and any extension therefrom and the adjacent outlet passage wall surrounding said valve member.

A still further object is to provide a flexible annular guide for the valve member periphery reciprocating within the confines of the wall surrounding a seat provided for said valve member to close a passageway between the intake and outlet ends of a shell forming a casing for a valve mechanism.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during progress of the specification illustrated by the drawing which is used for purpose of illustration, being diagrammatic and showing one form of reduction to practice which may be changed within the scope of the claims.

The figure of the drawing is a vertical median section showing a flush valve combination comprising the invention and including an operating handle and plunger in relief forming a valve operating mechanism.

The drawing illustrates the invention consisting of:

A valve and seat in combination with a flush valve device comprising a hollow body 1 forming a casing provided with an inlet 2, an outlet formed with an inner end terminating in a valve outlet seat 3 normally closed by a tiltable valve member 4 of substantially rigid construction and having a peripheral portion extended radially outward of the outlet seat 3, toward and normally resting on an annular seat 5 formed by a shoulder projecting radially inward of the body wall, surrounding an annular passage 6 communicating between said inlet 2 and said outlet 0 and normally closed by valve member 4.

A valve actuating means (in this instance consisting of the conventional type of oscillating handle 7 with a flange abutting a flanged plunger impinging a stem extending from said tiltable valve 4) is adapted to tilt said valve member 4 at least partly out of contact with the outlet and annular seats thus opening said annular passage 6 communicating between said inlet 2 and outlet 0, the periphery of said valve member 4 being normally surrounded and contacted by a ring 8 made of rubber-like material supported inside pressure chamber 9 located within said valve body 1 between that side of said valve member 4 that is opposite both seats and a portion of the casing wall encompassing said pressure chamber 9, and 1 bypass means 10 communicating between said inlet 2 and said pressure chamber 9 is provided, whereby pressure efiectlve within said chamber against said valve member and the rubberlike ring 8 will urge the ring material between the periphery of valve 4 and easing wall 1 toward said annular seat to seal the chamber against leakage and close the outlet seat 3.

The operation of the cushioned valve and seat is substantially as follows:

The disc-like head portion of the tiltable valve member 4 is held closed by the inlet pressure entering chamber 9 through restricted aperture 10 to act downwardly on disc 4 on an area greater than the area of the annular space 6 upon which the inlet pressure acts to urge the disc to open position. Upon rocking the handle 7, the stem and valve 4 are moved to the open dotted line position whereby pressure fluid can pass from chamber 9 around the periphery of the disc-like portion of valve 4 to provide for relatively quick opening of the valve 4 to allow flow of fluid from inlet 2 to outlet 0. Upon releasing handle 7, the disc of valve 4 assumes a horizontal position in which its periphery engages and forms a seal with the ring 8, whereupon the fluid has access to chamber 9 only through the restricted aperture 10, which produces a time delay and cushioning efiect in the movement of the disc toward its seat 3.

The invention lies in the combination and arrangement of the distortable ring 8 with the valve member 4 of rigid construction. The periphery of valve .4 being of rigid material supported by the annular seat 5 is not subject to distortion due to fulcrum pressure occurring between the periphery of valve 4 and annular seat 5 at such times as valve 4 is tilted raising same from outlet seat 3. It will be noted the inside of ring 8 is tapered to provide clearance for the periphery of valve 4 when tilted.

The distortable ring 8 is shown to be removable and replaceable, being held in operative position by a cap provided for casing 1.

Having described the construction and operation of the invention as illustrated by the drawing the following claims are made:

1. A flush valve device comprising a hollow body forming a casing provided with an inlet, an outlet formed with an inner end terminating in a valve outlet seat, a tiltable valve member of substantially rigid construction and having a peripheral portion extended radially outward of the outlet seat, on an annular seat formed by a shoulder projecting radially inward of the body wall, and for ming with said seat an annular passage commumcatmg between said inlet and said outlet and normally closed by said valve member, valve actuating means adapted to tilt said valve member at least partly out of contact with the outlet and annular seats thus opening said annular passage communicating between said inlet and outlet, the periphery of said valve member being normally surrounded and contacted by a ring made of rubberlike material supported inside a pressure chamber located within said valve body between that side of said valve member that is opposite both seats and a portion of the casing wall, bypass means communicating between said inlet and said pressure chamber, whereby pressure effective within said chamber against said valve member and the rubberlike ring will urge the ring material between the periphery of said valve and easing wall toward said annular seat to seal the chamber against leakage and close the outlet seat.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the inside of the ring made of deformable material is tapered upwardly away from and provides clearance for the periphery of the tiltable valve member when tilted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 V Roberts Mar. 21, Langdon Aug. '27, Langdon Sept. 9, Langdon Jan. 20, Butts Sept. 16, Deruette Oct. '14, Johns Dec. 9, 

